Timothy Tatters, 64, of White Oak, is free on bail while he faces charges of accidents involving death or personal injury and careless driving. He declined to answer questions.

Tatters' defense attorney, Scott Lautner, asked the judge to adjust the conditions of Tatters' bail. "He's been on the board of the Amvets. One of the conditions of his bond right now is that he not be in the presence where alcohol is served, so that is the issue." Lautner said, "We didn't have an issue with him not consuming, we had an issue with him not being present and be on the board." The judge did not change any of Tatter's bail conditions.

Tatters' attorney told Channel 4 Action News that his client shouldn't have any criminal liability. Court records show that Tatters said he didn't know that it was a person who had been hit on the road.

Tatters retired from the county police in 1993. He formerly patrolled the county parks.

"It's the same case, whether it's a retired police officer or an engineer or a steel worker or a doctor. It's the same set of circumstances, and we investigate it the same way," Lt. Andrew Schurman said.

Police said the 56-year-old victim, Lorraine Wilkes, was walking along Lysle Boulevard in front of a gas station when she was hit by a vehicle and thrown into bushes along the sidewalk about 4 a.m. on Jan. 16.

Police said the woman's landing spot may have made it difficult for passers-by to see her. She was found about 4:45 a.m. and taken to a hospital, where she died several hours later.

Wilkes lived in a Mon Yough Community Services facility for people with mental health issues, next to the place where she was fatally struck by the vehicle.

"The collision experts were able to determine that the woman was struck in the eastbound lanes of travel by a vehicle that left a fair amount of debris at the scene," Schurman said. "Using that debris, we were able to determine what type of vehicle was used and, eventually, we were able to track that vehicle down."

When WTAE's Marcie Cipriani went to Tatters' house for a comment last month, his adult son answered the door and said that Tatters wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone, and that if Tatters was responsible for the accident, it may have to do with seizure medication that he takes.

"He's hard-working and everything," Tatters' son said. "He's done his part in life. He volunteered to go to Vietnam. He's just a good guy."

According to the criminal complaint, Tatters spent 11 hours at a local bar before the crash. It says he went to the Country Corral on Bowman Avenue at 2:30 p.m. and stayed there until 1:30 a.m. He then went to the house of his former daughter-in-law to see his grandson before heading home, the complaint said.

According to police, Tatters said he had three drinks during his 11 hours at the bar and was not drunk when he left. He told investigators he thought he hit a dog.

The bar owner's daughter, Danielle Dziaminski, told Cipriani that Tatters is a regular who helps her father a lot and has never caused problems.

"He's very responsible as a person," Dziaminski said. "I know that when he is in here, he just is a slow drinker, so he does just normally have two or three while he's in here, and he's in here long periods of time. A lot of people who come in here, they know Tim and they always ask him what's up."

Tatters was charged with DUI in 2009. He is scheduled to be back in court in April.